Anxiety is a common condition that affects millions of people. It’s characterized by feelings of worry, nervousness, or fear that are strong enough to interfere with daily activities. While anxiety is typically temporary and often manageable with self-help strategies or treatment, some people find their anxiety gets progressively worse over time. This can happen for various reasons.
Why might anxiety get worse?
There are a few potential reasons why anxiety may worsen:
- Avoiding anxiety triggers – Avoiding situations, places, objects or activities that provoke anxiety may offer temporary relief. But in the long run, it can make anxiety worse by preventing you from learning how to manage and overcome your fears.
- Ineffective coping strategies – Coping strategies like drugs, alcohol or other unhealthy behaviors can temporarily dampen anxiety but tend to worsen and prolong anxiety disorders.
- Stress buildup – Cumulative life stresses like trauma, grief, financial/health problems or relationship issues can exacerbate anxiety over time if not addressed.
- Medical conditions – Medical problems like thyroid disorders, heart disease or respiratory disorders can trigger or worsen anxiety.
- Medication issues – Certain medications, drug or alcohol withdrawal, and use of stimulants may worsen anxiety as side effects.
If left unmanaged, anxiety symptoms usually get progressively more frequent and intense. A condition that began with only occasional anxiety can transform into near-constant anxiety, panic attacks or phobic avoidance of everyday situations.
How does anxiety get progressively worse?
Anxiety typically worsens in stages, beginning as temporary distress that progresses into a long-lasting disorder:
- Mild, intermittent anxiety – Most people experience brief anxiety before a stressful event like a work presentation or important exam. Anxiety is temporary and manageable.
- Recurring anxiety – Anxiety occurs repeatedly but is still temporary and manageable with coping strategies. Stress may trigger occasional panic attacks.
- Moderate, chronic anxiety – Anxiety persists continuously rather than in isolated episodes. It begins interfering with work, relationships and activities. Panic attacks may become frequent.
- Severe, chronic anxiety – Anxiety is disabling on a daily basis. It may cause sufferers to avoid leaving home, working, driving or going places alone. Panic attacks may happen routinely.
As anxiety gets worse, symptoms like fatigue, insomnia, muscle tension, pounding heart and nausea grow more constant and intense. Sufferers may adopt unhealthy coping behaviors like drug use, social isolation or total avoidance of anxiety triggers.
Signs your anxiety is getting worse
How can you tell if your anxiety is progressively worsening? Here are some common signs:
- Anxiety lasts weeks or months rather than days
- Panic attacks become more frequent or severe
- You withdraw socially to avoid anxiety triggers
- Physical symptoms of anxiety feel constant and overwhelming
- You rely on alcohol, drugs or other unhealthy coping methods
- Anxiety disrupts your job, school or relationships
- You obsessively worry or catastrophize about minor things
- You avoid more and more situations due to anxiety
Worsening anxiety may leave you feeling hopeless, like your anxiety is uncontrollable or will never get better. But in reality, there are ways to stop anxiety from spiraling out of control.
Getting help for worsening anxiety
If your anxiety seems to be getting progressively worse or is interfering with your quality of life, it’s important to seek help. Professional treatment can prevent anxiety from worsening into a more severe, disabling condition. Here’s how to find anxiety relief:
- See a mental health professional – A psychologist or therapist can provide counseling, teach coping techniques, and create a treatment plan. They may also recommend medication if needed.
- Consider medications – Anti-anxiety meds like SSRI antidepressants, benzodiazepines, buspirone, beta blockers or other drugs may be prescribed for severe anxiety. They should be used cautiously under a doctor’s supervision.
- Join a support group – Support groups allow you to share experiences and advice with others dealing with anxiety disorders.
- Make lifestyle changes – Exercise, stress management, socializing, therapy animals, dietary changes and limiting alcohol/caffeine can also relieve anxiety.
The earlier worsening anxiety is addressed, the more treatable it will be. Ignoring the problem usually allows it to spiral into a chronic, debilitating condition. Prioritizing your mental health and taking action can get anxiety under control.
What happens without treatment?
If anxiety disorders go untreated, they tend to worsen over time. Long-term anxiety can have devastating effects on mental and physical health:
- Severe depression may develop
- Risk of alcohol/drug abuse increases
- Social isolation and relationship problems occur
- Panic attacks may happen daily
- Agoraphobia (fear of public places) may occur
- Suicidal thoughts may arise
- Physical health deteriorates due to chronic stress
Research shows that untreated anxiety disorders may raise the risk of other medical conditions like heart disease, respiratory disorders, gastrointestinal problems and chronic pain. Worsening anxiety is also linked to depression and suicidal behavior.
When to seek emergency help
In some cases of severe, uncontrolled anxiety, an emergency room visit or hospitalization may be necessary. Seek immediate medical care if you experience:
- Thoughts of harming yourself
- Seeing/hearing things that aren’t real (hallucinations or delusions)
- Severe chest pain or difficulty breathing
- Racing, pounding heart (more than 120 bpm)
- Panic attacks lasting more than 10 minutes
Emergency psychiatric treatment can keep you safe in a crisis until your anxiety becomes more stable. Ongoing treatment will still be needed to get anxiety under control.
When to seek medical treatment
You should consult your doctor if anxiety is:
- Persistent and lasting more than 2 weeks
- Interfering with work, school or relationships
- Causing significant distress or disability
- Accompanied by worrisome physical symptoms
- Worsening despite self-help efforts
A medical evaluation can identify any underlying health conditions or medication side effects that may be contributing to anxiety getting worse. Your doctor can also refer you to a psychiatrist or therapist for treatment.
Tips for preventing anxiety from worsening
Here are some proactive steps you can take to stop anxiety from escalating out of control:
- Address causes – Getting treatment for underlying health issues or life stressors can prevent anxiety from worsening.
- Learn coping strategies – Techniques like deep breathing, meditation, exercise, and cognitive-behavioral therapy help manage anxiety.
- Avoid unhealthy coping habits – Limit alcohol, recreational drugs, excessive caffeine, and stimulants like energy drinks.
- Stay socially engaged – Maintain relationships and social activities so anxiety doesn’t lead to isolation.
- Get help early – Don’t delay treatment. Seeking help quickly leads to the best outcomes with anxiety.
While anxiety can worsen if left unchecked, the good news is it’s very treatable. Getting appropriate help prevents anxiety symptoms from spiraling out of control and allows you to regain quality of life.
Conclusion
Anxiety disorders often worsen gradually if not treated effectively. As anxiety gets worse, it can have major consequences for mental and physical health. If you notice your anxiety is persisting, disrupting your life or causing you distress, it’s crucial to seek professional treatment before symptoms become severe. With therapy, lifestyle changes, medications or other intervention, it’s possible to get progressively worsening anxiety under control and prevent it from becoming a disabling condition.